Stunt riding is like the skateboarding of the two-wheeled world. Initially the general public scorned it and most corporations wouldn't even acknowledge its existence, but times have changed and so has perception of the sport. A new generation of stunters has ditched the bad-boy rebel shtick, and in its place presented a cleaner cut approach; private riding areas over public roads and even a stunt championship series to showcase skills. Corporate sponsorships have become the norm and it's hard to find a mainstream media advertisement that doesn't feature a stunter in some form.
One of the aforementioned second-gen stunters is 18-year-old sensation Aaron Colton. As a boy growing up in Wisconsin he never expected to end up traveling the world pulling wheelies and winning roadraces, but while his friends were still learning long division he was doing just that in front of thousands-and getting paid.
We caught up with "Kid" Colton to see where he's headed and how he got as far as he has at such a young age.
How did you get involved in stunt riding? At what age did you know that was what you wanted to do?
It probably wasn't how most people decide what they want to do for a living. It wasn't like I was in first grade and decided I wanted to become a pro freestyle rider. Up until I was 13 I wanted to be a pilot. When I was 12 years old my dad's friend brought over a 110 and a 50. The next day I gathered every dollar I had and went to the local dealer and picked up a 2005 Honda CRF50. Despite the neighbors not being big fans at the time it was an awesome way to learn. I learned most of the basics on that bike and moved up from that point. From then on I was hooked. After I robbed my dad of his F4i we ended up building another. I couldn't have done any of it without my mom and dad's support. They took me from a 14-year-old who decided he wanted to ride for a living to the pro rider I am today.
What was it like being a high school student who traveled the country to compete?
It was super cool but it was also odd at times. All of my friends knew what I was doing but really didn't know the details. They saw me as the kid that was loaded with lots of toys and a motor home. What they didn't see was the side of trying to pay off maxed out credit cards and the double overnighters that my dad and I would pull on a regular basis. When did roadracing enter the picture?
Roadracing came around in 2007. I didn't go full force, but I slowly got into it on a CBR600F2 that I picked up for $500. It was by no means a good track bike, but it seemed like an affordable option at the time. To be honest the bike scared me; it had a good bit of power, but no brakes and poor handling. After that first race weekend I sold the CBR and bought an SV650. From that point on I was hooked.
What are the major differences in the stunt scene versus roadracing?
Early freestyle events were nothing short of absolute chaos. I remember in 2005 I would go to the freestyle events and it was nothing out of the ordinary for someone to be lit on fire or straight up hog tied. I saw guys do burnouts in restaurants and fans getting caught up in the excitement and blowing their tires in the parking lot-then wander around looking for a ride home! On the racing side it is much different, but in some ways all the same. Some tracks have quiet time at night but that doesn't stop everybody. When it really comes down to it, there are crazy racers too and both groups are really the same.
This babyfaced kid could pull...
This babyfaced kid could pull more stunts at age 14 than most of us will be able to in a lifetime.
I did try to do things to lead a "normal" teen life, but that really only consisted on making it to prom and trying to go to homecoming-most of which I missed out on anyway. I think that down the road I'll remember the time that my dad and I drove 30 hours straight to make a competition versus a dance. I think there are a lot more important things in life than high school drama.
Conclusion
It took a scrawny, pre-pubescent prodigy to unwittingly help open some doors for the rest of the stunt community. By showing up to competitions with his dad as his friend and mechanic, Aaron Colton showed that stunting could actually be a wholesome family activity and not exclusively reserved for hooligans on public streets. Once he proved he could transition to the racetrack it spawned an even deeper interest from industry companies that hadn't given the sport much respect previously.
Sometimes the true ambassadors to a sport come in an unlikely form. In the end they have a much deeper impact than even the most outspoken, self-proclaimed godfathers and promoters.